The Quin stories are some of the purest face-value mysteries you can read. Satterthwaite is a surrogate for the reader, a reasonably intelligent man without Sherlock or Hercule's superpowers. Like us, he's given everything he needs to see the answer; Mr. Quin simply provides a subtle nudge in the right direction. This may not be a Christie masterpiece, but it offers a more accommodating environment for literary sleuths to hone their own skills.